Homestead Barn Hop...This Week's Plans

I'm joining in once again with the HOMESTEAD REVIVAL BARN HOP.

This week I am planning on making THIS GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY with the last of this season's tomatoes that came off the vine. Some we'll let go red on the window sill but with the rest I want to have a go at making the chutney.

This week I also want to put back up our photo boards. When we MOVED THE BUFFET AND HUTCH RECENTLY, the photoboards were in the way and had to come down so now they need a new home in the back family room. I want to give them that new home this week if I can on the wall where the clock is now...

I knocked off two other things on my to-do-before-the-baby-comes-list yesterday which is good;

one was to get my eyes checked (pick up my reading glasses Monday I think)

and the other was buy some plastic under bed storage boxes for our room, labelling, culling and sorting things to go in there to make room for some of bubby's things in our walk-in robe.

Felt good going to bed last night that that had been done - it was a big job!

We're getting our oven fixed sometime today (yay!) and I have some craisin muffins to bake when it is ready to go!

I'd also really like to sort through the laundry and reorganise it nicely - just not sure I'll get a chance this week but it is certainly on the to-do list!

What a difference feeling better makes! This time last week I was totaly frustrated because I didn't have the energy to do anything but this week am feeling SO much better (Praise Yah!) and have knocked off a couple of big things from my list. Yay!

At my lovely MIDWIFE'S (HAZEL) recommendation, I have begun taking SPATONE since my last blood test showed that my red cells were a little low.

These come from a natural source in Wales and each time I take one, I think of my precious best friend Anth who is living there. Love you mate. Anyway, maybe these will help boost my energy levels too.

In other news...

Meet my new girl Mandy!

My very first Mandolin. I've been watching Mandolin Lessons for Beginners since I got it a couple of weeks ago. I'd been wanting one for a while (but kept getting confused between this and a mandola). The only thing I knew that I liked was what my beautiful friend Loz played. I rang and asked her about the mandola intitially until i realised it wasn't a mandola she played but a mandolin! The local music store was having a HUGE sale and was going under new management so this was HEAVILY discounted. And thanks to Loz and Heik chatting with the owner, I was able to get this one! Yay! Thanks guys - love you! And loving my new mandolin :)

Boys playing in the sand at our fave lookout late on Shabbat afternoon...

Hope all is well your way :)

More another time,

Are you like Me?

I think my day started way too early and let's just be honest...
I also went to bed way too late.

But anyway, this morning, I keep mulling.
I do like that word.
Reminds me of eating something.
I'm not sure why but it does even though it has nothing to do with eating.

Anyway, I digress (not that that's anything new lol!)
Mulling over heaps of things that need to be done and things that inspire me.

Mulling over so many projects I want to get done this year.
Mulling over how I want to showcase some of the projects I've done in our rental over the years.
Mulling over the song lyrics that seem to be going over and over in my head trying to form songs but that are still yet to come together.
Mulling over some culling and sorting that needs to be done in our home.
Mulling over making my photo recipe cookbook before the year starts to run away.
Mulling over my 3 white folders which need a total re-sort; Our Family Planner, the Recipe File and the Address File.
Mulling over the blog posts that I still want to do.
Mulling over the people I want to catch up with.
Mulling over the frames I want to hang in the boys' room.

Today I think I will be probably get none of these things done.
And that's ok.
I just wanted to get it off my chest I think.

I'm learning that it's ok to have goals and yet achieve very few.

I'm learning that I just have to keep making sure my priorities are right; my relationship with Yah (God) first, my relationship with Brettsky and the kiddos and everything else after that!

Are you like me? Do you have days like this too when you think of heaps that needs to be done but yet don't have the energy to do any? I know they'll get done at some stage. What are some of the projects that you have on your mind?

Would love to hear what you are mulling over!
Lus x

Thanks to Kerryn for compiling this list....

I completely copied this whole lot from my mate Kerryn's Blog. She + I have quite a bit in common and an interest in organising is one of them :) Now believe me when I say that my house is not always the most organised place on earth or anything (and who cares) but i still do enjoy thinking of ways to create more space, use the space we have more efficiently and i am really enjoying making my place a lovely spot for our family (and others) to just BE :)

So here's what Kerryn wrote on her blog recently...
Wednesday, 7 October 2009

Organisation Motivation
I recently made a Facebook post about browsing some Home Organisation websites and quite a few people wanted links. I promised a blog post listing my favourites, and so, here they are. I often read and browse these blogs and sites when looking for a solution to a storage problem or just for inspiration. With a family of six, space is always at a premium and being organised is essential to a calm and hapy household. I definitely don't have all the answers and am always looking for new systems and ideas.They are a bit of a hobby/obsession for me to be honest ;) If I spent half as much time actually organising as I do browsing home organisation sites my house would be perfect!
Unclutterer
Peace of Mind
Creative Organising
Organisation Junkie
DIY Organization
Mom Advice
Cindy Salzmann
Well Planned Woman
Organize Our Family
Life Hacker
Adorn
Clean Sweep
Home Hints
Suite 101
FlyLady
Life Organisation
Housekeeping
Organized Home
HGTV
Home Organization Help
Peter Walsh
Sorted!
Chez Larsson
Family Corner
Family Education
Better Budgeting

Now i haven't been onto all of these myself but i thought there might be a few of you out there (Karel!!!) who might be keen to have a squiz :)

Thanks again Kerryn :)
Love Lus x

oh and 5 things I am thankful to my Lord for tonight...

1. A lovely farewell dinner tonight at church with most families present to farewell and pray for some friends of ours. It was a beautiful evening.
2. Peace that often comes with a sense of order although i've also experienced great peace in the midst of stormy turblent chaotic times too!!!!!
3. Tuna + balsamic vinegarette :)
4. A lovely sunny day
5. Having my family who love me with me

It's all fun and games....

well that's what the coming months seem to be alot about for us!

I'm organising our very first church picnic (open to our wider community too) with lots of good ol' fashion games like tug-o-war, potato sack races, egg and spoon races, a cake stall (with profits being raised to begin a community fund so that when needs arise we can use money from that to bless and help people from the area). We'll also be having a sausage sizzle.

Anyone else ever organised a church picnic like this? Would love to hear your ideas!

Then we have a joint BABY BLESSING for 3 beautiful women from our church which will be held here in a couple of weekends time. I always make a mini book for each expectant mamma which is then filled with verses of scripture, thoughts and prayers of those attending. I'll be organising a few games for it too but mostly it is a time for us to gather around these ladies, encourage them and pray for them. I love these and it is an honour to have them in our home.

Still not sure about whether or not I will have a 30th. It's getting closer now but we had already decided that if I did have one it would take place a few weeks after my actual birthday (which kinda buys us a bit more time!) The issue I'm having tho is with numbers. How do you invite some people and not others? When we wrote out the first list there were 90 people on it! That's just too many unfortunately but who could we leave off? Aaaarrrgh! Anyone else experience this kind of thing when planning parties? It's the first big party (other than our wedding!) that I've had in the 10 years Brett and I have been together. I'm sure we'll work it out and if not, then it might just end up being a nice quiet evening with our families.

We are off on our annual Mother's Group Family holiday too this month.

Next month i'm supposed to be going on my annual girls weekend away with mg girls but am not sure if zippi and i will.

A fair bit of organising to be done :)

Working out the good vs best things.

More soon,
L x

One of the best things we've bought for 20 bucks i reckon....

was this pasta maker from Aldi not long back. Brett spotted it in the catalogue and said it would make for a really great activity for the kids. I thought it would be too involved and that basically its just alot quicker and easier to buy pasta from the store. Man was I schooled today!
Brett couldn't sit down any longer (plus I was feeling sick as-fine now though) so he got up and decided he wanted to make our first round of fettucine :) Needless to say that the kids had a blast...

and fresh chicken fettucine is really yummy... (kids' one left off the bacon + mushrooms from the top)

and it went down pretty well too...

best pasta we've eaten for like...ever. yum :) great family meal together...

And it was pretty remiss of me yesterday to mention Little House on the Prairie without mentioning my beautiful friend Gayle. Sorry G. See i borrowed the ones we've been watching from our friends Sharon + Doug and I was writing about it over at SOF when Gayle so kindly offered to send us her set of season 1 for our kids to keep! The kids got the package on Friday and were just so chuffed :) Thanks again mate :) xox

Do you have those times where you need to get so much done (or just want to get so much done!) but just can't find the time - like it keeps falling through your fingers like grains of sand? Arrrgh! That's what its like here at the moment and while I am actually ok about it, i would LOVE for time to stop so I can get a chunk of stuff done. Like....

* The rest of Zippi's thank you notes written and sent out (i've been doing these in spurts but want to get them finished now!!!)

* Make Stass' bonnet that she's been asking for :)

* Finish off Bek's bubba's pressie (and a couple others that I need to send off too!)

* Finish updating the homeschool diary

* Update the portfolio's

* Paper work filing

* Make some MCN's

* Make some covers!!!

* Fold clothes + put them away

* Wipe down the kitchen cupboards - they really need it!

* Put away the 000 clothing and stock the baskets with the 00 clothes

* Sew the handbag I've been designing

I know, all in due time hey!

HAPPY VERY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO my gorgeous buddy Mel M whose birthday I missed over the weekend :( Lovvvvvvve you honey and looking forward to sitting down and having a cuppa with you soon :)

Well, that's enough for tonight.
More another time,

Lus x

Some goals for the coming week...

I did this a fortnight or so ago at the beginning of the homeschooling week and it really helped me stay focussed. I encourage you to try it too if you are the kind of person who thinks you rarely get anything accomplished (this proves otherwise once you've ticked off what you have done!) and it also helped me stay focussed and finish some tasks too.

I just remind myself though of these two verses first....
"A man makes plans in his heart, but it is the Lord who orders his steps" (Proverbs 16:9) and also "Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12).
No matter what plans I might make, my heart is that the Lord will have His way and lead and guide my every moment...

Ok keep in mind that I am nesting....

Some 'plans'....

* Order cloth nappies! - on hold as we assess whether or not I am actually going to attempt to make them instead (did i just type that???!!!)
* Look for material for Passover costumes - purchased from the op shop
* Design simple Passover costumes ready for me and Stassi to begin sewing
* Nature Walk with the kids - collecting/sketching on nature walk
* Catch up on the Homeschool Diary -done and kids' portfolio's updated too
* Pack hospital bag for labour - not really but did manage to buy maternity underwear that I've been needing :) Yay!
* Chat with Tara :) - not quite but we did manage to get some emails in!
* Kids to do some canvas paintings for the playroom walls - the kids have sketched their interpretations of some of Van Gough's artworks onto canvas and will paint them today hopefully :)
* Praying and discussing with Brett about Feast of First Fruits
* Call Christie L - got to leave a message on the phone :)
* Find suitable handwriting practice book for Stassi in NSW Foundation handwriting style font - thanks - thanks Christine for the links and to Sarah (jakey) & Tam for your advice too; I've ordered the ruled books from LEM now. Christine, I have a really beautiful cursive book from I think its Rod and Staff which has beautiful verses for copywork but Stassi is just not at that level yet which is fine. We have it here though for the future which is good :) Thanks for the suggestion! We also ordered a great Science studies e-book from the Simply Charlotte Mason website and it looks fantastic!
* Call Nomes R - got a chat in with Pete tonight and look forward to chatting with Nomes another time :)
* Catch up with Nomes B - not quite but did catch up with Kaz who I've been hoping to see for a while now!

Ok well that's a good start methinks :)

5 things I am thankful for today:

1. Getting to catch up with my beautiful Sumi and her lovely family for Charlie's 1st birthday and blessing. So so so great to see you guys! Thanks for your hospitality mate :)
2. That Liji is not vomitting anymore! Yay :)
3. God's ability to move our hearts even in the most impossible of situations
4. This laptop
5. Helpful advice about cloth nappies!


Lus x

1.12.08

Home from a beautiful weekend away with our little family and all the other mother's group families too! It was brilliant :) Loads of swimming, sun and yummy things to munch on. Something we hope to do more often.

And I've come home to alot of cleaning jobs! We really want to purge, organise and clean up our home in time to start homeschooling and in light of our princess making her way here to us by April. Oh and thanks for all the congrats' too!

There is a 'chuck out' thread going over at Scrap of Faith but there have been problems with the server being slow. So i thought i would copy and paste my to do list here and then highlight them in red once the task is finished - just be quicker than do it over at sof at the moment. I'm sure it will be fixed soon :) In them meantime, here is my current to do list...

1. OUR BEDROOM & ENSUITE
- make bed
- unpack our suitcases
- bags out to garage
- wipe down vanity in ensuite
- swish & swipe toilet
- wipe down mirror

2. FRONT ENTRANCE WAY
- cobwebs
- dust
- sweep floors

3. TOY ROOM
- tidy doll's basket
- fold washing on futon
- put away washing on futon
- sort through sharon's bag

4. KITCHEN
- put away clean dishes/cutlery
- put away breakky things
- get boys to pack away activity packs

5. LOUNGE ROOM
- unpack kids suitcases
- put away goodie bag

6. LINEN PRESS
- get out the bags that need to be donated and put them in the car
- straighten towels

7. MAIN BATHROOM
- swish & swipe toilet
- wipe down vanity
- change water in vase and pick fresh lavendar
- wipe down mirror

8. BOYS ROOM
- straighten clothes in drawers
- go through top shelf of built in & PURGE!

9. STASSI'S ROOM
- put up new wall stickers
- straighten clothes in drawers
- go through top shelf of built in & PURGE!

10. LEARNING ROOM
- ORGANISE!!!!
- pens/craft items into the playcentre
- go through the big cupboard & PURGE

Other jobs to do this week:
* Make Ethan a birthday card
* Make Brett an anniversary card
* Ask Brett to move the futon back into family room and move timber shelves back into toy room WOOHOO! A HUGE JOB DONE :)
* Upload photos of Terrigal and Kiama and burn to CD for mother's group families
* Get blood test done
* Walk daily
* Book in with blood dr for new appt
* Take booking form to Maternity Ward
* Post Aunty Iris' card
* Hang out washing
* Wipe out fridge
* Wipe down large glass doors
* Update Dec calendar
* Call about swimming lessons
* Decide on new bookcase

Will be back with more soon,
Lus x